Sunday, November 3, 2013

Shine

On
occasion, when I am teaching, I have an idea to do something different.Like adding an extra turn onto a tours jete, or adding a leap somewhere
different.Sometimes I find that I can’t
achieve it in that moment.But the times
I do succeed, I am so happy with myself that I inadvertently pause and then I
am lost in the song and have to catch up.

It is a
moment when I feel a little glow of success.

We all
have those little moments of glory. We can pause and feel that happy glow.And there is always the space to catch up.

Even
when the moment is a total train wreck, you can still find your way back.

I am
guilty of this (as is almost every woman I know):Someone gives you a compliment.You do everything you can to persuade that
person that it’s not at all true.The
giver has reflected light on you and you are doing everything you can to stay
in the dark.In effect we are saying,
“Don’t see me!”

There
were times in my life where. “Don’t see me!” was really a very healthy
attitude.If you don’t see me, you can’t
criticize me or control me.And even
though that can seem safe, it is not.Hiding serves no one.You can get
so used to hiding that you lose yourself.

In a
past relationship, I denied who I was because I was so afraid of making
waves.I thought if I could just conform
and pretend that emotional abuse was not abuse, that I could somehow be
happy.I could pretend that this was
what I deserved.I remember my mother
saying to me, “Well, he doesn’t beat you…” as if that was enough to make me
stay.

Writing
this takes my breath away.The habitual
denial of who I was caused all kinds of collateral damage.

I know
now that I was really lost, but I caught up…eventually.

When you
allow your own unique brilliance, that’s when everyone wins.We all have a contribution to make, and it
all counts.When we make ourselves
small, we are taking light out of the world.

What you
cannot do for yourself, you cannot do for others.You can’t give what you don’t have.

When we
allow ourselves to shine, we reflect that onto others.We have more room in our hearts to allow everyone
to shine.

Subscribe To Dance with Life

About Me

I have been teaching dance for over 25 years. I am now teaching at Dansue Dance Fitness, 509 Westport Ave, on the Norwalk/Westport line, CT. This blog is about how the process of dancing,choreographing and teaching can give us lessons about living our best life.